Benguet Rep. Eric Yap urged the officers and members of the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) to elevate the performance of their duties and responsibilities as members of the fourth state to ensure transparency and accountability in the government and private sectors.
Yap was the inducting officer and guest of honor and speaker during the simple oath taking rites of the new set of BCBC officers held at the Camp John Hay Clubhouse February 14. The event was sponsored by the Philippine Veterans Bank represented by Vice President for Marketing and Corporate Communications Miguel Angelo Villa-real.
Further, the Benguet lawmaker was also inducted as an associate member of the umbrella organization of media groups in Baguio and Benguet.
He claimed that the media serves as a watchdog of both the government and the private sectors that is why journalists should continue practicing their chosen profession with utmost responsibility and professionalism.
He pointed out that it has been time and again proven that when issues and concerns of the community are ventilated through the media, appropriate actions are immediately undertaken by concerned government officials and private entities being alluded to in the media reports.
According to him, the media has always given him the opportunity to respond to whatever reports concerning his current role as Representative of the Lone District of Benguet and that the same should continue so that the public will continue trusting and believing in the media as the fourth state.
Yap stipulated that when wrongdoings are reported in the media, people responsible for such questionable actions and decisions tend to stop from pursuing their evil motives, among others.
Moreover, he explained that members of the media have all the right to ask from their sources pertinent questions related to various issues and concerns whether or not they like how the inquiries are framed or being asked from them.
Yap was delighted after being sworn in as an associate member of the BCBC because the local media organization is the first group to adopt him as a member and assured his support to all the programs and activities of the media that will help in further improving reportage by the members.
BCBC was first organized in 1964 and was known as the Baguio Correspondents Club before it was renamed to the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC).
One of the major activities of the organization is the upcoming Search for the Baguio-Benguet Lucky Summer Visitor during the Holy Week where first time visitors who will be chosen by the organization will be given a 4-day red carpet treatment and guided tours to the different tourist destinations in Baguio and Benguet as part of its contributions in aggressively promoting the city as a premier tourist destination in the country being the undisputed Summer Capital. By Dexter A. See